Improvement in boots



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

J. HOLMES AGEW, OF DOBBS FERRY, NFNV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,272, dated April 28,1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it knownthat I, J. HOLMES AGNEW, of Dobbs Ferry, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Construction of Boots; and I do hereby declare thatthe following` is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in whichble fastening by which it may be opened andclosed, and also provided with a tongue arranged in a novel way at theinner side of the boot, as hereinafter fully shown and de- Bzribed.

Science and practice unite in proving that the comfort of a boot, inwalking, consists in a tight instep or one which will encompass snuglythe back portion of the foot, and prevent the moving of the boot on thefoot, or the moving of the foot in the boot, and the consequent frictionon the toes and other for-- ward parts of the foot. My invention isdesigned to attain this result by a simple means, which will admit ofthe boot being adj usted to the instep with the greatest facility at thewill of the wearer.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

Arepresents a boot, which may be constructed in the ordinary way asregards form or shape. B is an opening or incision which is madelongitudinally in the top of the instep, and which may be two or threeinches in length, (more or l'ess,) according to the size of the boot. Tothe inner side of the boot,

directly underneath the incision B, 'there is secured a tongue, O, whichis made of a strip of leather or other suitable material, a triflelonger than the incision, and secured at both ends to the boot, as shownat a a, Fig. 1. This tongue is designed to be a trifle wider than theincision B can be opened, or will under any circumstances be required tobe opened, spread apart, or distended.

The boot at each side of the incision B may be perforated witheyelet-holes b, to admit of a lacing, D, being passed through them .toclose the incision. Other iastenings, however, maybe employed for thispurpose, such as straps and buckles, hooks and eyes, button andbutton-holes, &c.

From this description it will be seen that the boot may be adjusted tothe instep as snugly as desired, so as to eft'ectually prevent the footfrom moving in the boot while in the act of walking,` and hence asnuglyfitting and easy boot is obtained, all friction and abrasion onthe foot of the wearer avoided, and consequently a perfect freedom fromcorns and pains.

In case the boot should bind too tightly around the instep, inconsequence of the swelling of the foot or contraction of the leather,it may be readily loosened by simply loosening the lacing or otherfastening which may be employed. This may be done at any time and in anyplace, even in company or during an entertainment, without anyinconvenience or impropriety whatever, and, in fact, without attractingany attention. This is an important feature of the invention, for thefeet frequently swell after being a short time in a warm room orremaining still after walking or riding in railroad-cars.

By having the tongue C arranged as shown-to wit, secured at both ends tothe boot--the tongue cannot be displaced by the entrance of the footinto the boot. This is also an important feature of the invention, as atongue is indispensably necessary, and if not arranged or attached inthe manner shown and described, so as to avoid the above-mentionedcontingency, a great deal of other suitable fastening, and coveredl by atongue, C, attached at both ends to the inner side of the boot loelovsTthe opening or incision,. all substantially as set forth.

J. HOLMES AGNEW.

Witnesses GEo. W. REED, J. W. CooMBs.

